OCTOBER 27, 1997

No winter tests at Estoril

THERE will be no winter testing in Estoril this year as the Portuguese track is still a long way from being completed. This is a big problem for many of the Formula 1 teams which had been planning to be at the circuit in the second week of December. The track will not now be ready until March next year at the earliest.

This is a big setback for the teams because of the limitations imposed on testing and the ban on using tracks where races have taken place in a year unless they are one of the four nominated facilities. As a result in December teams cannot test at Jerez but will be allowed to run at Barcelona. At the moment there is a major test scheduled for Barcelona between December 2-5 and another between December 16-19. There is also going to be a major test at Paul Ricard in the week of December 16-19. The testing is expected to begin at Jerez again in the first half of January.

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